Monthly Archives: April 2020

What Makes Truck Driving an Essential Service?

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Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that hit the nation full-force, all jobs have now been divided into two categories–essential services and nonessential services. Most recognize the important role doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals play in this medical catastrophe; however, other industries are just as essential when it comes to keeping the country moving.

Most Important Items

For example, without the transportation industry, there would be no way to transport the various vital items that enable other industries and professionals to do their jobs. In fact, trucking underpins nearly all other crucial industries by carrying the following:

  • Groceries: Food, milk, drinks, etc.
  • Cleaning Supplies: The way individuals, both in a residential and commercial setting, prevent the spread of the virus through deep and regular cleaning.
  • Medical Supplies and/or Medicines: What could be more critical when it comes to sustaining life than medicines and medical supplies getting from where they are to where they need to go?
  • Electronics: This includes, but is not limited to, virtualization technology.
  • Construction Material: In both commercial and residential capacities.
  • Fuel: To keep essential workers moving from home to their jobs and to ensure trucks have the fuel needed to continue transporting vital goods.

Trucking, the Most Essential Service

Trucking is an essential service, necessary to get all the above items from one location to another. There is no way for this country to maintain order and civility without the trucking industry. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an agency that was tasked with defining essential jobs, among other crucial duties, truckers were described as “critical infrastructure workers.” The following is a segment from the official report published by Homeland Security:

“Functioning critical infrastructure is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public health and safety as well as community well-being. Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations.”

Obviously, the trucking industry is considered one of the “critical infrastructure industries” mentioned in this statement.

Changes in Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently reduced regulations on commercial drivers, allowing them to drive more extended hours than was previously allowed if they are hauling essential items, such as fuel, groceries, and/or medical supplies. This means that while other industries are reducing hours, laying employees off, or are grinding to a halt altogether, truck driving jobs are still available and even in higher demand.

Thank a Truck Driver

Truckers, the unsung heroes of this pandemic, deserve a big pat on the back and a hearty “thank you”! As outlined above, the country requires the transportation industry to remain robust and active to prevent complete chaos and risk the lives of many individuals if needed medical supplies or other vital items are not transported. Therefore, truckers deserve just as much praise as other essential professionals, as they are literally keeping the wheels spinning on America’s critical infrastructure.

How to Become Part of an Essential Service Team

The current increased demand for transported goods will probably dwindle somewhat as the COVID-19 pandemic passes. However, the role truckers are playing in the whole scenario highlights the immense need for truckers, defining them as essential workers.

Therefore, truck driving jobs are now and will remain plentiful for the foreseeable future, mainly to restock depleted goods across the nation. Anyone who has at least one year of recent OTR experience within the industry can reenter a field that is always considered essential and will never become obsolete, even in the middle of a crisis.

Truckers with a CDL who are currently working as truckers and who have a year of OTR experience should consider driving with us at Barr-Nunn Trucking to become part of our fantastic team of essential workers. Also, if a person’s current employment is deemed to be nonessential, now is a great time to consider completing a quality training program to become certified as a professional truck driver.

Looking for a truck driving job? Apply Now or Search Driving Positions.

Top 8 COVID-19 Safety Tips for Barr-Nunn Drivers

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Our highest priority is the health and safety of our drivers and the communities we serve. As a Barr-Nunn Transportation driver, you are part of the nation’s Essential Services and desperately needed to keep America running. We urge you to take all necessary precautions to keep yourself, fellow employees, our business partners, and the public safe. The following are the top 8 safety tips for Barr-Nunn drivers, resources, and links to help you stay safe while delivering essential goods.

1.) Wash Your Hands & Disinfect Them Regularly

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the best ways to protect against contracting COVID-19, is to wash your hands and disinfect them regularly. The CDC website offers these tips: Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap is unavailable, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

2.) Regularly Wipe Down Your Cab Surfaces

The CDC warns that contaminated surfaces and/or objects can be a source of germs and viruses. It is important to wipe and disinfect your cab areas frequently to keep yourself or your teammate protected. Be sure to clean your cab after stops for fuel, food, or after being in public areas.

3.) Keep Driving Defensively

While fewer pedestrian vehicles are on the roadways, commercial vehicles like yours are still traveling. Implement your defensive driving training to protect yourself, your teammates, and other drivers. The most important way to stay safe is to stay alert.

4.) Keep Social Distancing

Maintain social distancing practices at all times. The CDC defines social distancing as keeping at least 6-ft from others, avoiding crowds and large gatherings, and wearing a mask when possible. Social distancing is not always possible in every situation. Use your best judgment and protect yourself with common sense.  

5.) If You are Not Feeling Well, Self-Quarantine

Should you start to feel ill, please be proactive and self-quarantine. Avoid pushing on because “the job needs to get done.” Contact your Team Leader and discuss the best plan of action.

6.) Communicate with Your Team Leader

If you have questions or concerns pertaining to how to stay safe, or other issues related to driving during the COVID-19 pandemic, please contact your Team Leader. Your Barr-Nunn Team Leader and all the support staff are here to help.

7.) Keep Eating Healthy

One of the best ways to stay safe is to continue eating healthy. The American Society for Nutrition explains a balanced and nutrient-rich diet improves your body’s overall immune system. When making food choices on the road, go for healthy options over high-sugar or high-calorie items.

8.) Use Barr-Nunn Terminals

The following terminals are available to you:

COVID-19 Safety Tips for Barr-Nunn Drivers Conclusion

As a Barr-Nunn Transportation frontline worker during the COVID-19 pandemic, we thank you for your dedication to keeping America running. You are answering the call at this critical time in our country, keeping critical supplies on store shelves, and ensuring our economy keeps moving. Your efforts demand both our respect and admiration.

If you have questions or suggestions to add to our list of COVID-19 Safety Tips for Barr-Nunn Drivers, please feel free to call us at (551) 999-3011 or email HR@Barr-Nunn.com.

Looking for a truck driving job? Apply Now or Search Driving Positions.

ELD Compliance in 2020: What You Need to Know

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The Electric Logging Device (ELD) Rule was put into effect by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on December 18, 2017. This mandate was softly enforced, giving the transportation industry time to become compliant by December 16, 2019. This is the date to ensure all trucks had a working electronic logging device (ELD). Below is more information on the upcoming changes regarding ELD compliance:

What is an Electronic Logging Device?

Before delving into what changes can be expected in 2020 with ELD compliance, it’s important to understand what ELD means. An ELD is a device that tracks service hours. It is designed to replace devices like an Electronic on-Board Recorder (EOBR) or an Automatic On-Board Recording Device (AOBRD). These devices track Record of Duty Statuses (RODs). ELDs must meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association standards to be considered in compliance with the ELD mandate.

ELD Compliance in 2020: What You Need to Know

ELD mandate compliance has been a gradual process as mentioned above. However, most motor carrier operations were ELD mandate compliant within the first months of the year 2018.  Operations that had previously used AOBRDs were given until December 16, 2019, to completely switch to an FMCSA approved ELD device. By 2020, ALL commercial motor vehicles are required to have an approved ELD installed to be considered compliant.

The Grace Period For Compliance is Slowly Ending

The grace period once given by officials to allow companies time to completely switch to ELDs is slowly ending. However, presently, there is still a bit of a grace period. Truck drivers who are pulled over for roadside inspections must have the following on board to avoid penalties.

Must Have Items to Avoid Penalties:

·       Instructions explaining the data transfer mechanism that is supported by ELD.

·       An instruction sheet that reports any ELD malfunctions.

·       A regulation-compliant, registered, certified ELD.

·       A user manual for the ELD.

·       Paper log sheets, serving as a back-up.

What Happens if Drivers Are Found Non-Compliant?

Drivers who are pulled over without the above items, without a grandfathered-in AOBRDs or who are not exempt from the mandate will be subject to a penalty in the form of a fine. This fine can be substantial, which could amount to thousands of dollars!

Upcoming Concerns and Issues About The ELD Mandate

Admittedly, adhering to the mandate and making the necessary changes to become ELD compliant is a massive undertaking. After all, there are thousands of trucks on the road at any given time in the United States. However, the safety improvement associated with the ELD mandate is expected to dramatically improve roadway conditions for both professional and pedestrian drivers. Consequently, the logistics of ELD implementation is worthwhile.

Problems That Could Creep Up in The Coming Months and Years

The following are some upcoming issues that might be problematic in the upcoming months and years relating to ELD compliance:

·       Crowded Rest Stops: ELD mandate determines the amount of rest hours a trucker should log. The need for them to log rest hours in order to be ELD compliant could lead to overcrowded rest stops.

·       More Fines And Tickets: Operators who continue to push back against the ELD mandate will face ever growing penalties, which means more tickets and fines. This problem will diminish as more and more operators become compliant.   

·       ELDs Aren’t Always Allowed: Some areas of the nation, like government contractor facilities, do not allow vehicles on property that have ELDs.

Additional Questions Answered About ELD Compliance

Who Must Comply With ELD Mandate?

The ELD mandate applies to most commercial motor vehicles. According to estimates, this represents over 3.5 million truckers. If drivers wonder if they will fall under the mandate and be required to comply, they should consider the fact that in most cases, if they currently keep a logbook, they will be required to follow the ELD rule.

Are Any Drivers or Companies Exempt From The Rule?

Yes, there are some types of trucks that do not have to comply with the ELD mandate. They are as follows:

·       Short-haul drivers. These drivers log no more than 8 days of driving during a 30-day period and currently maintain a Record of Duty Status (RODS).

·       Short-haul drivers who have and maintain RODS.

·       Tow-away drivers.

·       Any vehicles that have a pre-2000 model engine.

What Are The ELD Mandate Compliance Requirements?

The following are the requirements to be considered ELD compliant:

·       Carriers and drivers must keep all supporting documents (as mentioned above) for a stipulated period of time.

·       All ELDs should be shared with law enforcing authorities and safety officials.

·       ELDs should be certified.

·       ELDs should conform in both technology and design to FMCSA standards.

How to Know if a Specific Device is ELD Compliant?

According to the FMCSA, you can access the registered ELD devices that are compliant with the mandate. They are listed here. Owners and operators should be aware that ELD systems that are cellular based can be a risky proposition. If a driver happens to travel outside the boundary of good cell service, their cellular coverage can become spotty or nonexistent. This, in turn, can mean driving data won’t be synced properly. The FMCSA recommends an ELD system that relies on USB and Bluetooth connections to relay data between the engine and the drivers’ mobile apps to prevent this problem.

Can The Use of Mobile E-Logs Take the Place of ELDs?

No. The ELD mandate demands ELD to be connected to the engine of the vehicle. Therefore, even an E-log is not a sufficient substitution and will not be considered ELD compliant.

The ELD Compliance Mandate is Worthwhile

The implementation of a new ELD system into thousands of trucks nationwide can seem arduous. However, the safety benefits are substantial enough to make the ELD mandate worthwhile. In addition, even if drivers don’t want to embrace the change, they are legally required to do so as of mid-December 2019. Therefore, implementing the mandate sooner rather than later is advisable.

Looking for a truck driving job? Apply Now or Search Driving Positions.

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